Hockey Widow wrote:I thought it was a really boring game. I wasn't really impressed with anyone. Ginger had a horribly sloppy game and I hate sloppy men. I wonder if Booth will become the new whipping boy for AV, at least until Ballard gets back. I think the best Booth played was when he was on a line with Kesler and Higgins. I'd like to see that line back which means, I know Raymond has to drop back to the third line, Unless you want to switch him and Burrows for a bit and see what happens.

I just don't see the team playing well right now. We do have a relatively easy finish to the season and should rack up some points, well after Thursday game anyway.

You think Ginger had a sloppy game?

I think he had sloppy moments, two major stickhandling gaffs and a bad rebound on the tying goal, but collectively, I think the Canucks threw him to the wolves. I think he was our best player on the ice.

Listercat wrote:HW I disagree with your assessment of the Kesler line. With Higgins, Booth and Kes You have 3 grinding type players who are not particularly good playmakers. They are all pretty much north - south players with little finesse. Raymond can add that dimension although last night was not one of his better efforts in that regard. His critics slam him for not doing things that were never part of his game and never will be. His game is speed, passing and puck control and when he is on he is very good at it. Lately he seems to be trying to do too much to get that line going.

I liked the play of Kassian on the line with Kedler and Raymond. I think AV is experimenting to see how the various part can be interchanged. As others have said hopefully Pahlsson can take some of the "checking" pressure off Kesler and allow that line to press offensively. He still seems to have decent speed and certainly has the intelligence for his role.

Finally, someone with a little insight, for sight or just plain seeing the light. I'm surprised that everyone wants to just throw the exact same type of players on the same line, I mean, what fucking good is that? I really like the potential of a Kesler, Kassian, Raymond line, you saw a little bit of that last night. 3 different players who when together have all the elements of what you want in a line, not just the one dimensional combination of Booth, Higgins and Kesler.

"I just want to say one word to you. Just one word. Are you listening? - Plastics." - The Graduate

Listercat wrote:Raymond can add that dimension although last night was not one of his better efforts in that regard. His critics slam him for not doing things that were never part of his game and never will be. His game is speed, passing and puck control and when he is on he is very good at it. Lately he seems to be trying to do too much to get that line going.

One thing I will say about Raymond - and I will happily cut him a mile of slack given his back injury and even given his injuries during the regular season last year - is that in 09-10 he did take the puck to the front of the net, or go there looking for opportunities, with far more consistency than he has since.

I know what type of player Mason is and if he tops out at this point that's fine, but he has all the ability to get back to being a consistent offensive threat, just maybe not the demeanour or durability.